Jurassic Brews

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Big and bold. This described not only our last beer of the collection, but the most famous dinosaur of all time - Tyrannosaurus rex! First discovered by Barnum Brown in 1902 and described by Osborn in 1905, this animal has since captivated people around the world as the most massive terrestrial predator that ever lived.

While liberties were taken regarding its behavior in the books and film series (eyesight based on movement?), the "breakout" scene of the T. rex in the first Jurassic Park film has been praised as one of the most intense and terrifying scenes in motion picture history.

To conclude the Jurassic Park Beer Collection, we have saved the best for last - full flavor and large body, just like the king!

Monday, April 1, 2013

"Now try to imagine yourself in the Cretaceous period. You get your first look at this "six foot turkey" as you enter a clearing. He moves like a bird, lightly, bobbing his head. And you keep still because you think that maybe his visual acuity if based on movement like T. rex - he'll lose you if you don't move. But no; not Velociraptor. You stare at him, and he just stares right back. And that's when the attack comes. Not from the front, but from the side - from the other two raptors you didn't even know where there. Because Velociraptor is a pack hunter, you see, he uses coordinated attack patterns and he is out in force today. And he slashes at you with this - a six-inch retractable claw, like a razor, on the middle tow. He doesn't bother to bite your jugular like a lion, oh no...he slashes at you here [makes slashing motions below the child's chest] or here...[above the groin] or maybe across your belly, spilling your intestines. The point is...you are alive when they start to eat you. So you know...try to show a little respect."

Thursday, March 28, 2013

The Velociraptors of Jurassic Park may not be the small feathery creatures we now think of when imagining the Gobi during the Cretaceous, but alas in 1993 these were the "genetically modified monsters" that INGEN whipped up in a lab. Their coordinated attacks and hyper-intelligence (for archosaurs) allowed for them to systematically test electric fences for weakness, open doors, file taxes, program computers, and rebuild transmissions...

While rumor has it that we will still be stuck with naked, featherless raptors in Jurassic Park 4, we can still honor the dromaeosaurids we grew up with. To borrow Robert Muldoon's last line, enjoy brewing up a batch of...

Monday, March 25, 2013

The third installment of the JP Beer Collection (heh...my initials too...) is a style not frequently sold in stores; the rauchbier. This dark ale includes 2 lbs of rauchmaltz, which is smoked malt.

In olden times, many ales took on a smokey flavor from use of wood-fired kilns to dry malted barley. Smoke from woods such as birch and alder would infuse the grain and thus give the beer a unique flavor. Over the years and with advancements in brewing techniques, the rauchbier has become a novelty among brewers. While a few breweries still make smokey beers (Alaskan Smoked Porter, for example), this style is truly a specialty. Compared to others I've tried, this recipe is rather light on the smoke flavor. However it is most definitely present at the back of the palate.

For the Jurassic Park Beer Collection, naming this one was a bit tricky. However, when we think of smoke and Jurassic Park, how can you not think of the character of Arnold - Hammond's chain-smoking leading IT guy played by none other than Samuel L. Jackson (back when he was a face and not yet a name).

Thursday, March 21, 2013

In honor of the re-release of Jurassic Park in theaters this April (in 3D no less), I have put together some beer recipes to celebrate this event. The Jurassic Park franchise has been an important film series to a whole generation of paleontologists, myself included. Of course, beer is an inspirational beverage to many people in general, paleontologists included!

Here is the first entry in my Jurassic Park Beer Collection Recipes! Enjoy!

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About Me

Joseph E. Peterson is an Assistant Professor of Geology at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He received his doctorate in geology at Northern Illinois University in 2010. Joseph studies vertebrate paleontology, focusing on taphonomy (the study of fossil preservation) and paleobiology - specifically behavioral inferences in dinosaurs based on injuries and observations of modern animals. Joseph has conducted field work in Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Alberta, Mexico, and Tanzania.